Revisiting somewhere that you've loved before is always a tricky thing. The first time I found The Goods Shed I was blown away. On my second visit I was even more impressed!
Outside, on this particular Saturday, they were holding a 'car-boot market'. This is a stunning and simple idea, all the local allotment folk and small holders alike are invited to sell any extra crops they may have yielded. At the far end of the car park was a man with a car-boot full of carrots, closer to the front door a women selling lots of beetroot, in between every hue and type of vegetable one could ever attempt to grow.
Such a wonderful idea - if a little illegal! It is forbidden in England to sell anything from an allotment, the idea being to keep the allotments free of commercial influences. Lets ignore that, as they say 'the law is an ass'.
Once inside you'll find an Aladdin's cave of a store. About a dozen independent farmers, grocers and Patrick the traiteur have come together under one beautiful roof to provide you with Kent's finest wares. You truly could complete a weekly shop here, they even have a man selling ethical toilet roll!
As if this wasn't enough the far wall is taken up by a restaurant where the chefs create delights for the stomach direct from the stalls alongside. Jay Rayner adored this place, he called it 'Gastro-Porn', I agree, although I generally prefer to eat in company and with the lights on.
The food is great and Enzo's bread, leavened within the building, is even better.
The Goods Shed is perfectly executed and a tribute to my home county. I've always been proud to be a man of Kent and now I've another gem to recommend.
I drove home a happy man.
